Canadian companies need to work harder: Survey

A large group of working Canadians at both the beginning and end of their careers feel companies are missing the mark in terms of what they need and want, according to the third annual Labour Day poll by Monster.ca.

The survey of 1,002 Canadian baby boomers (aged 47-62) and members of generation Y (aged 18-30) showed they share common complaints: •More than one-third of twentysomethings said companies do not provide sufficient mentoring, while almost one-half of boomers agreed.•More than one-third of both generations agreed companies do not use younger workers to their full potential.•More than one-third of both generations also said companies lack vision and fall short in productivity.

"In order to retain the best and the brightest among both the gen Y and boomer generation, leading companies need to find the sweet spot that matches workers' values with their business objectives," said Peter Gilfillan, senior vice-president of international sales and general manager at Monster Canada.

Nearly one-third of boomers do not feel companies treat workers nearing retirement with respect. Both generations cite better management and improved organizational structure as changes they'd like to see.

However, despite their workplace concerns, 75 per cent of young people and 82 per cent of boomers said they are satisfied with their current jobs, found the survey.

Similar valuesBoth generations equally value work-life balance more than anything, with 97 per cent in both age groups saying it's important. Making good money is just as important for twentysomethings (97 per cent) followed by job security (96 per cent), opportunities for advancement (95 per cent) and work flexibility (91 per cent).

While the majority of boomers have the same priority list, a cool, fun company culture is more important to young people, at 88 per cent, than it is to boomers, at 77 per cent, found Monster.

However, twentysomethings are twice as likely as boomers to say money motivates them at work. By contrast, boomers are twice as likely to say helping others and enjoyment of their work motivates them. Both groups identify team spirit as a motivating factor. However, as many as six in 10 boomers said they are working for financial reasons rather than enjoyment.